Visva Bharati’s Kali seminar 'politically motivated': Trinamool
India Today
The outrage over the seminar stems from the fact that the Visva Bharati University was founded by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, who had embraced the ideals of the Brahmo Samaj, denouncing idol worship.
The test of Bengal’s Kali bhakti is not dependent on a seminar, Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh shot back amid outrage over a talk titled “the concept of Kali worship’ on the premises of the Visva Bharati University.
“Unfortunately, the university is indulging in politically motivated acts. Everyone clearly understands why Visva Bharati is suddenly trying to organize a lecture on Kali puja. It wants to be party to the political discourse, it seems. It is done with the aim of fueling further politics and using it for political gain. There is no issue with discussions on Goddess Kali, but the timing is questionable,” Ghosh told India Today TV.“I would request the Visva Bharati authorities to play the best of shyama sangeet (genre of devotional songs dedicated to Goddess Kali) written by none other than Kazi Nazrul Islam. The test of Bengal's Kali bhakti is not dependent on a seminar.”
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The outrage over the seminar stems from the fact that the Visva Bharati University was founded by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, who had embraced the ideals of the Brahmo Samaj, denouncing idol worship.
Professors, former students and descendents of the Tagore family have come together to criticize the move.
Supriyo Thakur, a distant relative of Rabindranath Tagore, condemned the decision taken by Vice Chancellor Vidyut Chakroborty. According to him and the professors’ organization, Rabindranath Tagore was a believer of the Brahmo Samaj - a monotheistic sect of Hinduism, and his father Debendranath Thakur conceptualised Shantiniketan on a Brahma tatva which was later followed by Rabindranath Tagore when he established the university. “So how can one call for a lecture on murti puja (idol worship) or Kali worship inside the university,” they have questioned.
“We have never heard anything about idol worshiping at Visva Bharti. No religious activities ever happened here as we believe in one God, that is Brahma, who is acceptable to everyone,” Supriyo Thakur told India Today TV.
